What are Phantom Jams or Ghost traffic jam
When you're stuck in traffic, you might assume there's an accident ahead, but sometimes the backup clears without a crash. So, what happened? Well, anytime one car slows down—perhaps because of an animal crossing the road or another minor event—the driver behind also has to brake, causing the driver behind them to slow down as well. Eventually, someone further down the line may come to a complete stop. When this happens, the cars behind that driver also have to stop, resulting in a traffic jam without an obvious cause.
How to Prevent Phantom Jams While you can’t control every driver’s actions, you can help reduce phantom jams by maintaining a safe following distance and driving smoothly. Avoid sudden braking or erratic lane changes, and be aware of the traffic patterns around you.